Bolt hole marker



Oct. 22, 1968 w R COLWELL 3,406,460

BOLT HOLE MARKER Filed June 17, 1965 n 2- V AV AV AV 16V AV AV INVENTOR.F16- 4 W447i)? A. cam 44 47 TOP/145 Y United States Patent 3,406,460BOLT HOLE MARKER Walter R. Colwell, 1853 Jay SL,

Ontario, Calif. 91762 Filed June 17, 1965, Ser. No. 464,649 1 Claim.(Cl. 33-189) This invention relates generally to devices used in frameconstruction, and in particular, to a new and lmprove d technique toolfor marking the location of bolt holes 1n the base plate of frameconstruction utilizing concrete slab floors.

In wood frame construction of residential andcommercial buildings, theconventional technique utilizes a concrete foundation made of pouredconcrete wherem threaded securing bolts are set upright in the edges ofthe Wet concrete for the securing of a base plate or mudsill in theframe structure. The conventional method of marking the wood mudsillsfor the drilling of holes to fit over the preset bolts is to set themudsill on top of the bolts and to hit the wood mudsill with a hammer,thus making an impression of the bolt end on the underside of themudsill. However, this is quite unsuccessful and inconvenient since thebolts are never quite perpendicular and the bolt hole marking is neverproperly aligned w1th the actual entry point of the bolt into theconcrete foundation. Commonly, since the bolt holes do not align withthe bolts when the mudsill is placed into position, the carpenter spendsa great deal of time and effort straightening the bolts and hammeringthe muds1ll into place. The result often is to split the mudsill orbreak a bolt or in some other manner delay the construction. Somecarpenters attempt to solve this problem by drilling holes substantiallylarger than the bolt diameter. However, thls detracts from the mudsillsstability and strength in relation to the frame structure above and thebolt below.

It is accordingly an object of this invention to provide an improvedmarking device.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved bolt holemarking device for use in frame construction on top of concretefoundations.

A further object of this invention is to provide a new frameconstruction method.

Other and related objects will be apparent from the detailed descriptionof the invention and various advantages not specifically referred toherein will be apparent to those skilled in the art in the employment ofthe invention in practice.

We have now found that the foregoing objects and their attendantadvantages can be particularly realized in a bolt hole marking devicecomprising a generally hammer shaped marking device having a shaped tipfor engaging a foundation bolt and a marking punch located at apredetermined distance back from the engaging tip, said marking punchhaving a point and a striking head for marking the bolt hole location.

The improved bolt hole marking device and technique of my invention canbest be understood with reference to the accompanying drawings whichform a part of this application, and wherein the same numerals are usedto designate the same parts throughout the drawings.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a side view of the bolt hole marking device of thisinvention.

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of the bolt hole marking device illustratedin FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a plan view of a typical corner of a rectangular concreteslab with foundation bolts set therein.

FIGURE 4 is an end view of the corner shown in FIG- URE 3 with my bolthole marking device in position.

It is to be understood that the bolt hole marking device of my inventionis applicable to any marking or punching use. Furthermore, although thebolt hole marking device of this invention is particularly adaptable foruse in frame construction, my invention may be used in any type ofconstruction, manufacture, or activity where a consistent markingdistance is required on a mass scale. The bolt hole marking device andtechnique of this invention is described in a particular embodiment, butthe structure of my invention can be widely varied as long as the basicelements of an engaging tip, a measuring arm, a marking punch and ahandle are maintained.

Referring now more particularly to FIGURES 1 and 2, the bolt holemarking device therein shown comprises a handle 10. Handle 10 includes asteel shank 12, and a connecting arm 14. The outward end of handle 10 isconveniently provided with a wooden covering having steel shank 12inserted therein and attached thereto. Depending from shank 12 andcontinuous therewith is steel connecting arm 14 which is inclineddownwardly from the longitudinal axis of shank 12 and the woodencovering on the outward end of handle 10. Extending outwardly from theend of connecting arm 14 is measuring arm 16 which is illustrated ashorizontal and which is inclined upward from the longitudinal axis ofhandle 10. In that portion of measuring arm 16 nearest to connecting arm14 there is located marking punch 24 having head 26 and point 20. Head26 is illustrated as serrated for better adherence of the strikinghammer and point 20 is depending downwardly from measuring arm 16 asubstantial distance sufiicient to provide a clear mark for drilling ofbolt holes in base plates or mudsills.

At the end of the measuring arm 16 farthest from handle 10 is locatedshaped tip 18 with centering notch 19.

Tip 18 with centering notch 19 is shown as a curved tip which registerswith the curved outer surface of a threaded foundation bolt. Of course,centering notch 19 can have substantially any curvature which makesregistering with the foundation bolt convenient. Thus centering notch 19can be a straight-sided angular notch rather than a curved notch or canfit entirely around the bolt thus providing an opening for theregistering of the bolt with my bolt hole marking device. Further, tip19 can have a substantially wider construction than arm 16 thus flaringoutwardly so as to make registering with a foundation bolt easy andconvenient.

Marking punch 24, as illustrated, is an integral part of the steelportion of the bolt hole marking device and thus has been cast withmeasuring arm 16 or welded thereto. Of course, marking punch 24 can beattached to measuring arm 16 by threading, wedging, or other attachmenttechniques. By making marking punch 24 detachable, it is possible toreplace point 20 easily since point 20 is the primary point of wear onmy bolt hole marking device.

Of course arm 16, connecting arm 14, shank 12 and marking punch 24(although illustrated as generally rounded or cylindrical) can just asconveniently be made in rectangular, triangular, or other geometriccross sections which provide sufiicient strength for the type of usecontemplated.

Handle 10 is illustrated as being covered with wood at the outward endthereof, which is typical of construction tools such as hammers and thelike because of the resilient nature of the material and the shockabsorbing characteristics thereof. However, the holding portion ofhandle 10 can be cast or formed integrally with shank 12 to form asingle metal bolt hole marking device. Also, other materials which canbe used for covering handle 10 include rubber, plastic, cork,compositions and the like.

The generally inclined construction of the bolt hole marking device asillustrated in FIGURE 1 is most convenient for construction use, butthis is not critical to my invention, and the marking device can beconstructed with measuring arm 16, and handle having a commonlongitudinal axis. The metal portions of the bolt hole marking device ofthis invention can comprise any metal having satisfactory strengthcharacteristics. It is further contemplated that the normally metalelements such as measuring arm 16, connecting arm 14 and shank 12 can beconstructed from other material having sufficient structural strength towithstand the blows.

The use of the bolt hole marking device of this inven tion isillustrated in FIGURES 3 and 4. FIGURE 3 illustrates the corner sectionof a rectangular concrete slab 30 having foundation bolts 32 settherein. Conventionally, for a 2 x 4 base plate or mudsill thefoundation bolts are approximately one-half the Width of a 2 x 4 fromslab edge 31'or approximately 1 inches. In the technique of using thebolt hole marking device of this invention, a chalk line 34 is snappedback from edges 31 of the hardened concrete slab 30 a distance equal tothe width of a conventional 2 x 4 mudsill or approximately 3% incheswide. Then the edge of base plate or mudsill 36 is laid along the chalkline as illustrated and the bolt hole marking device is positioned withtip 18 against bolt 32 and point 20 resting on mudsill 36. Measuring arm16 is centered easily by eye, perpendicular to slab edge 31. When point20 is properly located, head 26 is struck with a hammer or other impactdevice in order to make a depression 38 with point 20 in base plate ormudsill 36. This marking technique is then repeated identically for eachof the bolts along the foundation edge. When the bolt locations are allmarked by depressions 38 from point 20, the base plate or mudsill 36 isthen removed from the slab and holes of the proper diameter, i.e., ahole of substantially the same diameter or only slightly larger than thediameter of foundation bolt 32, is drilled at each of the bolt holedepressions '38. This technique is then repeated identically for each ofthe mudsill or base plates around the entire periphery of concrete slab30 and any other location on slab 30 Where bolt-mudsill combinationsexist.

It is to be understood that for different sized base plates or mudsillsthe spacing of foundation bolts 32 from edge 31 is different thanillustrated but is equal to about onehalf the base plate width. Thedistance between edge 31 4 and chalk line 34 also must conform to thewidth of the base plate or mudsill being used. In the case-of mudsillsor base plates 36 having a different width than that of the conventional2 x 4, the distance between tip 18 and point 20 is then constructed toconform to a distance equal to the new base plateormudsill Width.

My bolt hole marking device and technique incorporate features mostattractive to those. responsible for frame construction, andparticularly those utilizing concrete slab foundations with typicalstucco frame construction. Some of the more significant featuresinclude: (1) simple operation requiring only one-handed measuring andpositioning; (2) simplicity of construction, particularly the feature ofhaving no moving parts thus lending itself to economical manufacture;(3) ruggedness, which is a mandatory requirement of construction tools;and (4) accuracy and speed in marking bolt hole locations.

I claim:

1. A method of marking bolt holes on a base plate member in slabconstruction wherein foundation bolts are provided at spaced intervalsalong and back from the edge of a concrete slab, said distance backbeing about one-half the width of said base plate, which comprises;marking said concrete slab with a chalk line along the entire edge ofsaid concrete slab, said chalk line being spaced back from the edge ofsaid concrete slab a distance equal to the width of said base plate;placing said base plate edge on the inside of and next to said chalkline; measure the width of the base plate distance back form saidfoundation bolt toward said base plate; and marking said location with apunch to define the point where the base plate bolt hole is to bedrilled.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,255,190 2/1918 McBride 33411,598,986 9/1926 Ping 33--187 1,886,300 11/1932 Oslund 33l80 X 1,904,2424/1933 Kieckheafer 33-191 2,528,775 11/1950 Ogden 33-180 2,786,2743/1957 Early 3341 2,961,773 11/1960 Honn 33197 WILLIAM D. MARTIN, JR.,Primary Examiner.

1. A METHOD OF MARKING BOLT HOLES ON A BASE PLATE MEMBER IS SLABCONSTRUCTION WHEREIN FOUNDATION BOLTS ARE PROVIDED AT SPACED INTERVALSALONG AND BACK FROM THE EDGE OF A CONCRETE SLAB, SAID DISTANCE BACKBEING ABOUT ONE-HALF THE WIDTH OF SAID BASE PLATE, WHICH COMPRISES;MARKING SAID CONCRETE SLAB WITH A CHALK LINE ALONG THE ENTIRE EDGE OFSAID CONCRETE SLAB, SAID CHALK LINE BEING SPACED BACK FROM THE EDGE OFSAID CONCRETE SLAB A DISTANCE EQUAL TO THE WIDTH OF SAID BASE PLATE;PLACING SAID BASE PLATE EDGE ON THE INSIDE OF AND NEXT TO SAID CHALK